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About

What's in a name...The origin of: Know Bull!From the start, Know Bull! was intended as an internet resource to assist bully 'targets' come to terms with, and tackle workplace bullying. However, when it came time to register the website name, there was a bit of a dilemma. Although the logical choice would have been to put the word "no" in the name, along with words denoting "bullying"...it fell short of what the founder of Know Bull! (Jennifer Wilkins) was aiming for.

The problem as she saw it, was that bullied 'targets' came out of toxic situations with more questions than answers. They needed to "know" why the bullying occurred; how it was that bullies could exist in organisations without being admonished for their destructive behaviour; they wanted to know how they could spot a potential workplace bully...and how they could protect themselves from repeat workplace bullying situations. This need to "know" is how the first part of the Know Bull! name came into being.

As for the second word, "bull" this is slang for what our founder saw as the predominant behaviour of workplace bullies: exaggerations and lies. Jennifer maintained that people needed to understand — to "know" exactly what they dealing with, before they could form any plan of action to deal with it.

Anti-Bullying...by designThe workplace bully causes immeasurable harm to 'targets', both emotionally and physically. So in order to assist bully 'targets' raise awareness of, and tackle workplace bullying...yet without adding to the burdens they were already carrying — we began employing 'design' (graphics/images/cartoons/text/etc) to everyday office items and apparel. Hence the tag: Anti-Bullying...by design. The intention was (and still is), to provide the bully 'target' (or those interested in preventing workplace bullying), with a low-effort way to raise bullying and anti-bullying awareness. We made the products available in our online store, with the profits (50c to $1 per item) going towards the cost of maintaining Know Bull!s online presence.

What we mean when we say: "Don't sit on the fence" To 'sit on the fence' (or 'Sitting on the fence'), is a common English idiom used to describe one's neutrality, or hesitancy to make a clear choice between two possibilities. Depending on the situation, it represents indecision, or apathy.

Research reveals, that when a workplace culture is infected by a workplace bully, the workplace divides into two 'camps'. Those who side with the 'bully', and those who don't. Siding with the bully can be anything from participating in bullying behaviours (mobbing); to turning a 'blind eye' to workplace bullying behaviour; to withdrawing support from 'bullied' colleagues for fear of becoming a bully target (or being subjected to 'bully' retribution).

When it comes to workplace bullying, we ask that people set aside their apathy and indecision and make a firm choice on where they stand. They either support workplace bullying, or don't. To quote Eldridge Cleaver, You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.

Header image: "Bird on a Wire", by Aram Vartian Our header image comes from a photograph by talented American Photographer and Designer, Aram Vartian. (Click on the link to visit Aram's website)

Know Bull! has never cared to place images of people 'affected' by workplace bullying on our website. In articles, 'yes'...but not our home page. Workplace bullying is not just about bully 'targets' — there's also witnesses, and management (who are in a position to engineer 'change'). Aram's photo typifies the workplace bullying conundrum. The little bird is 'free', yet positioned between 2 solid objects (a wall and a building), denoting the idiom: between a rock and a hard place. The image also lends itself to Know Bull's statement "Don't sit on the fence" i.e. to not be indecisive, and to make a firm choice about workplace bullying.